The Way You Are: Woo Years Eve
by corneroffandom
Summary: With a new year comes changes, big and small. Zack Ryder wasn't expecting something of this magnitude, however.


WWE's touring schedule had taken Dolph all the way out to California before New Years Eve. With Miz holding a party for every one of his friends at his ridiculously sized house, he'd convinced Zack- with a fair amount of promises and wheedling- to fly out. The airport's a madhouse, of course, and Zack's careful to keep many people from jostling his recovering arm as he walks through security to his gate.

He dozes through most of the flight, anxious to see friends and coworkers that he hadn't spent time with in weeks, since his injury. As soon as the flight attendant announces they'd be landing soon, he stirs and sips from a bottle of water before looking out of the window. He can't see much yet but still. He _feels_ like he's almost in California, each second ticking closer to 2015. _It's gonna be a good year,_ he thinks with a smile before getting up and grabbing his bag in the overhead compartment as soon as they're cleared to do so.

Upon getting off of the plane and walking through the airport towards the exit, Zack's entire face lights up when he spots Dolph waiting for him a few feet away. Walking faster, he makes it just before Dolph looks up from his phone, throwing his arms around him before he can respond. "Happy New Years, bro!"

Dolph laughs and squirms enough to hug Zack back. "It's not New Years yet, kid." Zack shrugs and leans in, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "C'mon, let's get out of here," Dolph urges, wanting to leave the bustle and noise of the airport before fans start to maul them. Zack nods, grabbing his bag before they go. "Glad Miz talked you into coming," he says quietly. "It wouldn't have been as much fun without you."

Zack grins and tosses his bag into the backseat before settling into the passenger seat, turning to talk to Dolph as he starts the car up. "Yeah, I mean New York's great with the fireworks and all, but I wanted to ring in the new year with you, so..."

Dolph flashes a quick, almost nervous grin at Zack that's gone before he even fully catches it, turning the car onto the main road to lead to the freeway to get to Miz's house. "I'm looking forward to that too, kid."

It's still mid-afternoon but there are already people wandering around Mike's house, Zack saying hi to John Morrison and Justin Roberts as he drops his bag in the guest room next to Dolph's things. He's aware that it's only to get busier and more wild the later it gets so he takes a fast shower, changing into more dressier clothes and spiking his hair up just right. Looking at himself in the bathroom mirror, he grins and peeks out into the main room to find Dolph waiting for him, leaning against the bed and playing around with his phone.

When he leaves the bathroom fully, he waits for Dolph's appraising blue eyes to rest on him and, when they do, he's not disappointed by the look that he receives as Dolph's gaze drifts over his body, lips twitching up into a smirk. "You do clean up real nicely, kid," he says, licking his lips as he sits up.

Zack chuckles, feeling that familiar heat easing up the back of his neck whenever Dolph looks at him like that, especially while using _that_ tone of voice. "Thanks, bro," he murmurs, waiting until Dolph hooks a hand in the collar of his jacket and draws him closer, kissing him for a few moments before deepening the kiss, exploring his mouth lazily. Sighing regretfully, Zack pulls away and kisses him one last time. "We gotta go to the party, bro. C'mon." Slipping his hand down Dolph's arm, he squeezes his hand and turns towards the door.

They walk side by side downstairs and pause at the bottom of the steps, taking in the ridiculous crowd. Mike's place is decorated as usual- gaudy and in some theme that neither can recognize just yet, but even with all of the people there already, it still seems oddly underwhelming. For now. Both men know as the midnight hour approaches, more and more will be coming because, as much fun as the pre-ball drop festivities are, nothing beats the post-stuff, when everyone's loose and happy, dancing and drinking some of the expensive champagne that Mike provides them all with.

Dolph meanders to the table full of snacks and Zack leans by him, sipping from a drink that tastes fruity and alcohol-y and leaves him grimacing, Dolph laughing at him as he quickly puts it down and wipes at his hands. Shrugging, Dolph picks the glass up and finishes it for him, making a face of his own before stuffing more appetizers into his mouth to reduce the aftertaste. "Gah," he grimaces. "That was more sour than I expected."

Zack chuckles before picking up a couple of mini-sliders and eating them, watching the women in sequin dresses and men in dress jackets and slacks wandering around, talking. "Still a few hours til the ball drops, bro, what do you wanna do?"

Dolph grabs a couple of more snacks before curling an arm around Zack and leading him into the crowd, forcing him to mingle as well. It isn't awful, there are a lot of current and former WWE guys around so they hang out mostly with Morrison and Justin Roberts until the group grows in size, more and more people coming to laugh and exchange stories, all of them more at ease with each other now that they're off of the road for a few days and are hanging out because they want to, not because they have to.

Mike is in the middle of one of his tales from Marine 3, speaking animatedly and doing impressions of this person and that, Zack laughing hard at him, when he realizes two things at once- it's almost midnight, and Dolph has disappeared somewhere. Focus immediately off of the story, he looks around the room to find him, instinctively checking the food table. His frown grows when he realizes that Dolph is honestly not in sight but then Mike slaps him on the good arm. "Hey, man, you still with us?" he wonders, everyone turning to look at Zack.

There's a two minute countdown on TV and the crowd in Times Square has begun to buzz, and Zack starts to fear that Dolph's going to miss it, wherever he's at. "I think I should go look for Dolph-" he's just started to say to Mike, speaking up to be heard over the growing noise, when someone taps him on the shoulder. The countdown has hit sixty seconds when he turns to find Dolph standing there, a pensive look on his usually confident face. "Hey, bro, I thought you were going to miss-" His voice dies away abruptly when Dolph pulls something out of his pocket, everything moving in slow motion as he drops down to one knee, eyes gleaming up at him. "Wha- wha..."

"Kid," Dolph breathes out, taking Zack's hand and lightly rubbing his knuckles. "I know we've been through so much- a lot of bad, but even more good. I can't promise that things are always going to be perfect, I'm probably going to screw up a lot more because... this is me we're talking about here, but I do promise to always love you and take care of you. I promise to wake up every morning and vow to be better, to be more of what you deserve." The ticker on the TV behind them is counting down from thirty seconds as Dolph opens a velvet jewelry box and reveals a gold band engagement ring, eyes fixed on Zack's face. "Will you make 2015 the best year of my life, kid? Will you marry me?"

Zack swallows, eyes wide as he stares down at him. Time is still ticking away, 2015 quickly approaching. Dolph's fingers are stroking his, his eyes starting to narrow in worry.

"Kid, you're shaking," he whispers. "Look, if this isn't-" He starts to shift up like he's trying to stand, but then Zack rests his hand on Dolph's shoulder and shakes his head, exhaling.

"You're sure you want this? You want me?" he asks, still in disbelief that this is happening, with all of their friends standing around, making all of this somehow more unbelievable.

"Of course I do, kid. I always have," Dolph murmurs. The crowd on the TV is officially counting down now, 2015 mere seconds away, and his heart starts to sink that maybe Zack doesn't believe him or, worse, doesn't want it himself.

 _Nine... eight... seven..._ Zack closes his eyes and breathes out, "Yes. Yes, yes, I'll marry you," he exhales and Dolph's entire face melts into beautiful happiness as he fits the band on Zack's finger and surges up, cupping his face and kissing him hard, fireworks bursting behind them to declare it officially being 2015. Zack laughs softly, tears filling his eyes as their friends surround them, cheering and celebrating both the new year and the engagement. "I love you," Zack sighs close to Dolph's ear, feeling more than hearing his reciprocating the affection as fireworks explode outside of the house and light up the room, some of the crowd leaving to see them firsthand.

"Congratulations, guys," Mike says cheerfully once the room's a little calmer, throwing his arms around both of them in a quick, almost rough hug.

"Thanks for distracting him while I got the ring," Dolph offers, squirming until they're both released, Mike winking at them before heading outside himself to give them some time alone.

Zack sighs as Dolph lifts his hands and kisses his palms, lips feeling curious against the ring that Zack will have to get used to wearing now. "Is this reality?" he murmurs, ducking his head as Dolph grins against his skin. "If I'm dreaming, just let me sleep, bro."

"Feeling pretty real to me, kid," Dolph says softly, their eyes locking as Zack grins, still emotional. Dolph makes a soft sound before wiping his eyes, tucking Zack in close. "May I have this dance?" The room is quiet, only the TV droning on behind them, and Zack laughs, nodding.

Even when people trickle back in once the fireworks fade away, the two of them continue to dance slowly, so absorbed in each other that they barely notice when Mike turns music on or other couples take the floor around them.

The party starts to break up around 4 AM, Dolph and Zack walking hand in hand to the guest room that they had claimed all of those hours earlier. As Dolph gets ready for bed, Zack stands for a few minutes and takes it all in, marveling at how everything feels different- lighter, happier, more beautiful now. He chuckles at himself before dropping down stomach first onto the bed, staring in awe at the ring sparkling on his hand, certain that this feeling will never fully fade away. He's still laying there when Dolph joins him, slowly kissing his way up Zack's body until he's shifting to not put extra weight on Zack's shoulder. "It's an incredible ring, bro. You have good taste."

Dolph beams against Zack's neck, lightly kissing the flushed skin there. "Of course I do. In rings and fiances."

Zack groans softly and tilts his head to smile up at Dolph. "Mind saying that again, bro?"

"Fiance," Dolph offers, curving his fingers around Zack's jaw and kissing him. "I'll be honest," he mumbles. "When you froze up on me and was shaking, I thought you were gonna say no. I really did."

Zack bites his lip, his gaze flickering between Dolph and the ring. "I didn't... get it, I just... my mind went blank. I never thought you'd want to get married, because... I mean, yeah, we're committed and everything, but I thought a ring and an actual wedding and everything would cramp your style." His words are quiet, starting to sound doubtful, and Dolph shakes his head, inching closer to Zack. "I thought you'd be happier without all of that-"

The rest of his attempt at explaining is swallowed by Dolph's lips, smiling into the kiss as Zack groans faintly. "I'm happier with you," Dolph explains. "I know I'm kind of a flirt, and I can't promise that that will stop, but I do want this. I do want you. I want everything this ring entails, or I wouldn't have put you through all of this tonight."

Zack stares into his eyes, gauging his sincerity, before nodding with a soft smile. "I believe you, bro. I believe you." Dolph's fingers interlace with his own and Zack lets out a low, deep exhale as the ring is pressed into his flesh, a reminder of what Dolph had vowed to him tonight. "I love you so much," he breathes into his husband-to-be's mouth, grinning when Dolph keens, Zack running his fingers through his hair as he explores Dolph's mouth more thoroughly and keeps him from responding as timely as he'd like.

Not that he forgets because, once they're drifting off to sleep awhile later, Dolph rolls so his head is resting on Zack's chest, listening to him breathe while he toys with his fingers, thrilling every time he feels the cool gold of the ring against his flesh. "I love you even more, kid," he whispers, too giddy to fall asleep just yet. "Thank you for making 2015 the best year I've ever had."

"Just wait, bro, it's only day 1," Zack murmurs. "Gonna get even better from here." Pressing a kiss to the top of Dolph's head, Zack sighs and closes his eyes, immediately falling into a deep sleep, a peaceful smile still on his face.


End file.
